12-year heat plant decentralization program reaches completion

Published Sept. 27, 2011
By Thomas G. Kistler
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- An Air Mobility Command energy-saving project begun in the late 1990s ended with the completion of work to decentralize the heat plant at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The command is now completely centralized heat plant free, officials said.

"Centralized heat plants are inherently wasteful," said Steve Kalmer, the energy and utilities engineering program manager for AMC. In addition to using large quantities of water, approximately half of the generated heat goes straight up the smoke stack. The remaining 50 percent heats the water, which is pumped through miles of underground pipes to warm the base's far-flung buildings.

"When looking at what energy management people can do to save energy at the installation level, the number one thing to do is decentralize the heat plant," said Kalmer.

A heat plant decentralization takes two to three years, said Kalmer. After constructing individual heating units with high-efficiency boilers at each facility, the heat plant is unhooked in sections before finally being shut down.

According to Kalmer, the system at Joint Base MDL was "especially inefficient" because it included an absorption chiller air conditioner. This system, similar to the gas-powered refrigerator in a camper, used hot water to make air conditioning. This required sending high-temperature, hot water more than one mile away and running the centralized heat plant all year long. To top it all off, this type of air conditioning system is approximately 20 percent efficient.

In addition to the heat plant decentralization, the Joint Base MDL contract also included installation of high-efficiency lighting, chiller plant improvements and implementation of an energy management system.

An energy management system does just what the name implies -- manages energy. It accomplishes this task by using thousands of sensors in buildings all over the base, sometimes monitoring the conditions in individual rooms and offices. These sensors send data to a central control room on the base where a display shows the efficiency and condition of every building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit. If a building's unit is producing too much or too little heating or cooling, the energy management system will alert the technician to adjust the system so it operates within prescribed parameters. When a unit shuts down completely, repairs can be monitored as they take place.

Kalmer also explained the contract at Joint Base MDL was typical of most energy saving programs. Using third party financing, the Air Force borrows the money to improve the efficiency of energy use on the base. Because of the energy savings the new systems provide, the investment pays for itself with lower costs in about 10 years. The savings continue through the life of the loan with the Air Force having spent zero dollars to improve the energy efficiency on the base.

The AMC Installation and Mission Support Directorate's Operations Division ensures major infrastructure systems such as airfields, roofs, heating and cooling, electrical distribution, water, wastewater and natural gas are supporting the mission. They work closely with the installations to determine impacts on mission, energy conservation and efficiency measures. Their energy vision is to "reduce demand through conservation and efficiency, increase supply through alternative energy sources where cost effective and create a culture where all Airmen make energy conservation a consideration in everything they do."